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In order to be today’s overcomers, we must maintain the ground of oneness, God’s unique choice, without elevating anything other than Christ; in the Lord’s recovery we elevate Christ and Christ alone—Col. 1:18b; Rev. 2:4; 2 Cor. 4:5; 10:5:
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Before the children of Israel could have the full enjoyment of the riches of the good land, they had to utterly destroy the heathen places of worship, the idols, and the names of the idols “on the high mountains and on the hills and under every flourishing tree” (Deut. 12:2); the high mountains and hills signify the exaltation of something other than Christ, and the flourishing trees signify things that are beautiful and attractive—vv. 1-3, 5; 1 Kings 11:7-8; 12:26-31; Num. 33:52.
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The intrinsic reason for the desolation and degradation of God’s people is that Christ is not exalted by them; they do not give Him the preeminence, the first place, in everything—Psa. 80:1, 3, 7, 15-19; 74:1.
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The way to be restored from desolation is to exalt Christ; the enjoyment of Christ with God on the ground of oneness can be maintained and preserved only when Christ is properly appreciated and exalted by God’s people.
Morning Nourishment
Col. 1:18 And He is the Head of the Body, the church; He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that He Himself might have the first place in all things.3:11 Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.
Often the pagan centers of worship were located on mountains or hills or under flourishing trees (Deut. 12:2). The mountains and hills signify the exaltation of something other than Christ, and the flourishing trees signify things that are beautiful and attractive. The various worship centers in today’s Christianity lift up something other than Christ. In principle, these centers of worship are on a mountain or hill, the high places. However, God’s people were to come to Mount Zion, the unique place chosen by God for corporate worship. The worship at the high places was a factor in the dispersion of the children of Israel.
In principle, we must destroy all the places, idols, and names. To do this is to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. But if we insist on our own choice, we are doing what is right in our own eyes. We must fear the Lord and go to the place He has chosen. (CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” p. 273)
Today’s Reading
The ground of oneness is not simply a matter of one city, one church. The ground of oneness is deeper, richer, higher, and fuller than this. We all must learn that in this universe God has chosen only one place, and that place is the church.The church with Christ is the unique place of God’s choice. In order to fulfill the word of Colossians 3:11, every other place must be utterly destroyed. We must destroy everything that is not the church with Christ. Then we will simply be in the church life enjoying Christ as the riches of the good land. As we enjoy Him with God, we will be planted in the house of the Lord, we will grow, and we will flourish. This is the proper way to have the Christian life and the church life. This is the ground of oneness.
On this ground it is not possible to have division, for the basis of division has been destroyed. Our temperament, disposition, natural characteristics, and preferences have all been eliminated. Our religion, culture, and particular ways have also been destroyed. In the church there cannot be anything other than Christ. Christ must be all and in all….As we enjoy Him before God, this enjoyment will become our worship, our church life, and even our Christian daily living. Then we will grow and mature on the ground of oneness.
From my experience in the Lord’s recovery…I can testify that the unique place of God’s choice leaves no opportunity for the indulgence of lust or for the exercise of our ambition. During all the years in China, I was under the direction of Brother Nee’s ministry. In all my preaching I was the same as he. All the “high places” were torn down, and therefore there was no room for the indulgence of lust or the carrying out of selfish ambition. The same is true among us today. We care only to exalt Christ. If we maintain the ground of oneness, God’s unique choice, without elevating anything other than Christ, it will not be possible to have division. In the Lord’s recovery we elevate Christ and Christ alone. We may talk a great deal about life, but we do not even elevate life to the point of making it a high place. Certain brothers among us are very keen and have a good deal of natural ability. But their keenness and ability must be restricted by the ground of God’s choice. This restriction will keep them from elevating something in place of Christ. We in the Lord’s recovery can testify that, in contrast to today’s Christianity, we have no high places. (CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” pp. 288-289, 320-321)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” chs. 5, 8, 10; CWWL, 1968, vol. 1, “The Practical Expression of the Church,” ch. 9